Press



Oct. 12, 1965 s. M. ZEPPETELLO PRESS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 6, 1963 INVENTOR.

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PRESS Filed Nov. 6, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR jzeve L4. Y Zieff'eello 3,211,085 PRESS Steve M. Zeppetello, 3011 W. Logan BlvtL, Chicago, Ill. Filed Nov. 6, 1363, Ser. No. 321,767 4 Claims. (Cl. 100-214) This invention relates to an improved construction for a press and more particularly to a press in which the bed of the press with an operator for the press may be selectively tilted in order to improve the efficiency of the operation of the press.

In many manufacturing operations, such as, an operation in which a trim press is used, the loading and the unloading of the press takes up a substantial amount of time in a cycle of operation. In the conventional construction of a trim press, the bed of the press is horizontal, so that the operator places an item to be trimmed in a die, sets the press into motion to trim the item, and then removes the item from the die along with any scrap material to complete an operating cycle. It is well recognized that in many operations, it is desirable to tilt the bed of a press after a given operation in order to unload the die. It is also readily apparent that the time that it takes to tilt the bed of the press is sufficiently great in some instances that it is'more efficient to have a press operator unload the press. It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a press which may be selectively adopted for a given operation to improve the efficiency of a given operation.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a press which has a bed which may be selectively tilted and which bed supports an operator to tilt the operator along with the bed, so that the bed may be held in a tilted attitude for a prolonged length of time to facilitate unloading of the press. However, the bed may be returned to a horizontal position when desired.

It is another object of the herein disclosed invention to provide a press which may be selectively locked into a horizontal or a tilted attitude.

It is a still further object of the instant invention to provide a press in which an operator tilts with the bed of the press and which operator may be selectively positioned vertically relative to the bed of the press to provide a selected distance between the bed and the operator.

Other objects and uses of the herein-disclosed invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a perusal of the following specification in light of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a press embodying the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a partial cross-sectional view taken on line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is similar to FIGURE 2 but showing the bed of the press in a tilted attitude;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view of the lower portion of the press showing the bed of the press in dotted form in two additional positions; and

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG- URE 6, but showing a bed which pivots on an axis near its center rather than at one end.

Referring now to the drawings and especially to FIG- URE l, which shows a trim press generally indicated by numeral 10 embodying the herein-disclosed invention, the trim press 10 generally consists of a frame 12 with a bed 14 pivotedly mounted on the frame and a hydraulic cylinder 16 connected to the frame and the bed for selectively pivoting the bed relative to the frame. Four identical upright columns 18 are fixed to the bed for f United States Patent 0 3,211,035 Patented Oct. 12, 1965 supporting an operator assembly 20 above the bed. The operator assembly, as well as the hydraulic cylinder 16, is connected to a fluid power assembly 22 which is mounted within the frame 12.

Considering now the specific construction of the frame 12, it may be seen that the frame includes a base 24 which has a pair of uprights 26 and 28 connected thereto with a front panel 30 connecting the uprights. The uprights 26 and 28 have side supports 32 and 34, respective ly, fixed thereon for supporting and holding the bed 14.

The bed 14 includes a substantially flat plate 36 which is adapted for receiving and holding a die thereon. The plate has a pair of side brackets 38 and 40 fixed to opposite edges as may be clearly seen in FIGURE 4. A pair of pivot pins 42 and 44 are mounted in the side supports 32 and 34, respectively. The pivot pins 42 and 44 are rotatably positioned in the side brackets 38 and 40, respectively, and the pins are positioned adjacent to one edge of the plate 36 so that the bed 14 has an axis of pivoting adjacent to one edge thereof.

A locking means is provided to lock the bed in selected positions. The locking means in this instance includes a pair of lock pins 46 and 48 which are slideably mounted in respective apertures 43 and 45 of the sides 26 and 28, respectively, as well as respective apertures 47 and 49 of the side brackets 38 and 40, respectively. As is evident in FIGURE 3, the lock pins 48 and 46 when positioned in their respective apertures of the uprights and side brackets, lock the bed in a selected attitude.

As was mentioned above, the hydraulic cylinder controls the movement of the bed. I-Iowever, downward pivoting of the bed is limited by a pair of stops 50 and 52, which stops are mounted on uprights 26 and 28, respectively. It may be seen that when the plate is lowered by the hydraulic cylinder 16, the plate comes down into engagement with the stops 50 and 52 which support the plate, and the plate may be locked into position in engagement with the stops by the lock pins, thus holding the bed in a tilted position. The lock pins 46 and 48 are positioned in respective second apertures 51 and 53 of uprights 26 and 28 respectively to hold the bed in a tilted position.

Fixed in each of the four corners of plate 36 is an upright column 18. Each column is perpendicular to the plane of the bed and has a threaded portion 54 at the upper end thereof.

Supported by the upright columns 18 is the operator assembly 20. The operator assembly includes acylinder support plate 56 which has a hole in each of four corners for slideably receiving the four columns 18. Threadedly mounted on the threads 54 of each of the columns 18 is a lower nut 58 which engages the support plate 56 and holds the plate. An upper nut 60 is mounted on the threaded portion 54 of each of the columns to hold the support plate in firm engagement with the lower nut and to prevent the plate 56 from rising during operation of the press. A hydraulic cylinder 62 is fixed to the upper portion of the support plate to provide a means for operating a die. The cylinder 62 includes a rod 64 which extends through an opening in the center of the support plate. The rod has a head 66 which is adapted for receiving a portion of a die which is not shown. The cylinder 62 in combination with head 66 constitutes the operator of the operator assembly. The remainder of the die (which is also not shown) is mounted on the plate 36 of the bed. The cylinder 62 is connected to a hydraulic control assembly 68 which has a flexible hose 70 attached thereto. The flexible hose 70 is connected to piping 72 which in turn is connected to a liquid pump 74 of the fluid power assembly so that a hydraulic fluid under pressure may be delivered to cylinder 62. The

pump 74 is driven by an electric motor 76 which is connected to a suitable source of electrical energy. Operation of the cylinder 62 is controlled by a pair of control knobs 78 and 80 which are suitably connected to the pump 74 in a conventional manner for presses of this general type.

The instant trim press operates in the following manner. A die which is not shown is fixed to the bed 14 and head 66 of cylinder 62. In order to tilt the bed of the instant press, the lock pins 46 and 48 are removed, and the hydraulic cylinder is energized to lower one edge of the bed until the plate 36 is in engagement with the stops 50 and 52. The lock pins 46 and 48 are then replaced to lock the bed into a tilted position. It may be appricated that the bed is then in the attitude shown in FIGURE 5 of the drawings. It should also be noted that as the bed is pivoted, the operator support along with the columns is also pivoted so that the die is also in the pivoted position.

A press operator then loads the die, which is not shown, and energizes cylinder 62 by operation of both of the control knobs 78 and 80. The head 66 moves toward the bed for the trim operation and the head then returns. Upon completion of the trim operation, the die is unloaded and material contained in the die slides down the bed. A suitable container may be positioned adjacent to the press so that the materials are gathered into the container as they fall off the bed. It is apparent that the material may also slide off the bed onto a conveyor and be carried off for subsequent operation or storage.

In order to place the bed in a horizontal position, the pins 46 and 48 are removed, and the cylinder 16 is energized to extend rod 86, so that the bed pivots about pivot pins 42 and 44. When the horizontal attitude is attained, the lock pins are reinserted to lock the bed in a horizontal attitude. It may be appreciated that the instant device provides for a vertical adjustment of the support plate 56 by appropriate manipulation of the nuts 58 and 60. The support plate may be raised and lowered relative to the bed so that various size dies may be positioned on the bed.

Although the instant device has been shown with the axis of pivoting adjacent to one edge, it may be seen in FIGURE 7 that the axis of pivoting may be positioned below the center of the bed. FIGURE 7 shows only a crosssectional view of one half of a bed 114 with a plate 136 having a side bracket 140. The cylinder 16 is attached to the bed by trunnions 88 as was described in detail above. The bed 114 has a pivot pin 144 below the center of the plate identical and another pivot pin on the other side of the bed which is not shown herein. The side bracket 140 has a lock pin apertures 151 and 153 at opposite ends of the bracket. The other side of the bed 114 is not shown, though it is identical to the side shown and described above.

The bed 114 is locked into a horizontal position by lock pins 46 and 48 being positioned in aperture 153 or aperture 151 and their respective counterparts on the other side of the bed. In order to move the bed, the pins are removed, and the cylinder 16 is energized. When the bed is tilted in a counterclockwise position, the aperture 151 and its counterpart on the other end of the bed receive the lock pins 46 and 48 to lock the bed into position. However, when the bed is tilted clockwise, the aperture 153 and its counterpart on the other side of the bed receive the lock pins. It may be readily appreciated that by positioning the axis of pivoting in the center of the bed, the bed may be tilted in either direction, depending upon the use of the trim press.

Although a specific embodiment of the herein disclosed invention has been shown and described herein, it is readily apparent that those skilled in the art may make various modifications and changes without departing from the spirit and scope of the instant invention. It is to be expressly understood that the present invention is limited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A press of the character described comprising, in combination, a frame, a bed pivotedly mounted on the frame and having its pivot axis adjacent to the center of the bed, a fluid operated cylinder having one end pivotedly connected to the frame and the other end pivotedly connected to the bed for pivoting said bed about its axis, a lock for locking said bed in a substantially horizontal position, a plurality of substantially upright columns mounted on said bed and movable which said bed, a support plate being supported by said columns, said support plate being substantially bisected by a plane extending through the pivot axis and the center of the bed, a die cylinder mounted on said support plate cooperative with said bed, said die cylinder having its axis in said plane, and said fluid operated cylinder and said die cylinder being connected to a common power source to be operated thereby.

2. A press of the character described comprising, in combination, a frame, a bed having one end pivotedly connected to the frame, a fluid operated cylinder having one end pivotedly connected to the frame and the other end pivotedly connected to the bed for selectively pivoting said bed, a support connected to said frame and being engageable with the bed for holding the bed in a preselected position, a lock for selectively locking the bed in a horizontal attitude and for locking the bed in the preselected position in engagement with the support, a plurality of substantially upright columns mounted on the bed and movable therewith, a cylinder support supported by said columns, a die cylinder mounted on the support and cooperative with the bed in a press operation, and said fluid operated cylinder and said die cylinder being connected to a common power source to be operated thereby.

3. A press of the character described comprising, in combination, a frame, a bed pivotedly mounted on said frame, a fluid operated cylinder connected to the frame and to the bed for selectively positioning the bed, a stop mounted on the frame and engageable with the bed for limiting the movement of the bed, a lock for locking the bed in a selected position, a plurality of substantially upright supporting columns mounted on the bed and movable with the bed, a cylinder support mounted on the columns above said bed, means for selectively positioning the cylinder support on said columns to determine the distance from the bed to the cylinder support, a die cylinder mounted on said cylinder support and cooperative with the bed in a press operation and said fluid operated cylinder and said die cylinder being connected to a common power source to be operated thereby.

4. A press of the character described comprising, in combination, a frame, a bed pivotedly mounted on the frame, a fluid operated cylinder connected to said frame and to the bed for selectively pivoting the bed, a support connected to the frame and being engageable with the bed for limiting the movement of the bed in a given direction, a lock pin mounted in the frame and removably engageable with the bed for locking the bed in a selected position, a plurality of substantially upright columns mounted on the bed and moveable with the bed, each of said columns having a threaded portion on the end of the columns spaced from the bed, a nut threadedly mounted on the threaded portion of each of said columns, a cylinder support plate receiving each of said columns and in engagement with each of said nuts to be supported by said nuts, a second nut mounted on each of said threaded portions in engagement with the cylinder support plate to hold said cylinder support plate in position, and a cylinder mounted on the cylinder support plate cooperative with the bed in a press operation, whereby the distance from the cylinder support plate to the bed may be selectively determined by positioning the nuts along the threaded portion of the columns.

(References on following page) 5 6 References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENTS 545,742 3/32 Germany 100 231 495,979 11/38 Great Brltam. 32, 740,311 11/55 Great Britain. 10 32 Derry 1 257 X 5 351,627 3/37 y- 3 3 k 100-269 4 t i g gf I WALTER A. SCHEEL, Przmary Examiner.

7/52 Patrick 100-231 X UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,211,085 October 12, 1965 Steve M. Zeppetello Column 4, line 10, for "which" read with Signed and sealed this 7th day of June 1966.

(SEAL) Atmst:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A PRESS OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A FRAME, A BED PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE FRAME AND HAVING ITS PIVOT AXIS ADAJACENT TO THE CENTER OF THE BED, A FLUID OPERATED CYLINDER HAVING ONE END PIVOTEDLY CONNECTED TO THE FRAME AND THE OTHER END PIVOTEDLY CONNECTED TO THE BED FOR PIVOTING SAID BED ABOUT ITS AXIS, A LOCK FOR LOCKING SAID BED IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL POSITION, A PLURALITY OF SUBSTANTIALLY UPRIGNT COLUMNS MOUNTED ON SAID BED AND MOVABLE WHICH SAID BED, A SUPPORT PLATE BEING SUPPORTED BY SAID COLUMNS, SAID SUPPORT PLATE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY BISECTED BY A PLANE EXTENDING THROUGH THE PIVOT AXIS AND THE CENTER OF THE BED, A DIE CYLINDER MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT PLATE COOPERATIVE WITH SAID BED, SAID DIE CYLINDER HAVING ITS AXIS IN SAID PLANE, AND SAID FLUID OPERATED CYLINDER AND SAID DIE CYLINDER BEING CONNECTED TO A COMMON POWER SOURCE TO BE OPERATED THEREBY. 